Adjustable support for crib bed springs



July 24, 1951 I, A. MARS ETAL ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR CRIB BED SPRINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 2, 1948 INVENTORS y 1951 I A. MARS ETAL 2,562,053

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR CRIB BED SPRINGS I Filed Sept. 2, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 24, 1951 SPRINGS Albert Mars and Andrewfiorretta Cleveland, Ohio Application "September 2, 194-8; serial No; 47,496

11. Claims. (or. s im 3 .The present invention relates' to supports for bed springs; and more especially, to a new and improved: adjustable: support for crib bed springs which permits variation or; adjustment of the elevationof the spring i In the use of crib: beds-for small infantsin their early stages ofgrowth; when frequent attendance-upon and handlingzofthe infant is re"- quired, it'shas been found to be inconvenient and unduly tiring on theattendant to perform the daily: and: substantially constant caresand at tentions usually required by thechild while 1ying. in the crib and supported thereby at the usual elevation. determined by the conventional arrangement of the crib springs which are normallyzflxed at a relatively low elevation, therefore necessitating frequent stooping or bending over 'by -the attendant,.-with-consequent discomfort to? and? strain of the attendants back. This discomtortand strain.- is not I appreciably reduced even; when the usual sideboards or side rails ofir the: crib: are of the so-called drop type, or are otherwise: movable to afford more convenient I access to: the child; asl'in sometypesof crib constructions; since the springs are ordinarily fixed andzalways remain at a. relatively low elevation, with the: child consequently supported ataconriespondingly low elevation.

.Withv the view: to) eliminating, or at leastre ducing;: the. inconvenience 1 and discomfort; of

bed; together witn arm of special form for attachment to-the corresponding corner or the crib spring: frame: or unitpwhich arm is selec tivelyengageablewith: vertically spaced. notches of the bracket member, whereby to provide a positive and safe adjustablesupport for the crib springs. i i

The invention is still further characterized by the unique and particular arrangement enmel'ationsh-ip of the bracket and arm aforesaid which insures positive and eiiective interlockin the same at all times; while permittingehange otthe-cribspring elevation at-will.

other and further' objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described and the novel features thereof-i defined in-the appended claims;

out. materially. increasing the cost of manuiac tune ofqthe. bed, or. which maybeapplied to exeisting? crib beds. at a very nominal. expense:

A further object of the inventionmis to: provide an; improved spring support" for crib beds. which is sturdy and safe, and which can -bei'easily and quickly adjusted-1 to dispose the springs at -any convenient or desired elevation as the particular occasion or circumstance requires, while also per mitting progressivelowering of the springs-as the child: grows'and develops in size,- consistent withthe desired safety of the child and minimum risl'r'of falling or climbing' out of the crib whileunattendedi Another object of" the invention is to provide animproved, notched, bracket member for at-'- tachmentto thecornerpost or leg of 'a crib -Inthe-drawings: r Figure 1 isa longitudinal, vertical sectional View taken through 'a' crib bed equipped-with adjusting means for adjusting the elevation of the cribspringunit', accordingto the present invention;

Figure 2' i's'a-horiz0hta1 sectional View taken on the plane of the line -2T-2 of Figure 1, and more particularly showing the adjusting means at each corner ofi the" crib bed and spring unit"; FigureB is a fragmentary vertical sectional View on asomewhat enlarged scale, as taken on the plane-"of the line 3-3 of Figure" I, with the spring unit adjusting means shown in end elevation; and with' thespring unit represented 'in full lines'in the -adjusted position of maximum elevation; and in broken lines in the adjusted position of minimum elevation-;

Figure 4==is a composite view in perspective of one of the notched corner post brackets and its correspondingcooperating spring unit corner arm; and; i i Figure 5:is afragmentar-y enlarged view, partly' in vertical section and* partly in side elevation ,-"showing in clearer detail" the crib spring adjusting means at one corner of the crib be'dl Like reference characters designate corresponding parts inth'e sever-al figures of the draw- "corner posts- I at the respective opposite: endsof the bed; and" Sideboards or" rails-I extending longitudinally between each pair of corner postsfl at the respective opposite sides'of the bed, toget-her with acrib spring unit which preferably as indicated at brackets at the corresponding ends of the crib includes a rigid frame 5 extending completely around the four sides of the spring unit and forming a rigid supporting frame for the usual coil springs 6 and the usual interconnected network of links or wires 1. The frame 5 is illustrated in the conventional form of angle irons, and in the ordinary crib bed construction, this frame would be connected tothe. corner posts or legs I at a fixed elevation, whereas in the case of the present invention, the connection or support for the spring unit is adjustable as will hereinafter be more fully described, in order to permit adjustment or variation of the elevation- Y I l, to be positively spaced from the face of the corner post, as indicated at [B in Figure 3, thereby affording sufficient clearance between the bracket and the corner post for free and unobstructed vertical movements of the arm 12 which is extended through the space I8 so as to always lie outside of the bracket. It will be further observedthat the notches? H- ineach*bracket are 'formed in the outer ed'gethereof, that is, the

edge which is disposed next to the end panels of the crib, and each notch is sloped upwardly and outwardly from the base thereof towards the next notch above the same, thereby giving the outer edge of each bracket the form of a series of inclined steps.

7 I The upper end of each bracket iii is also prothe raising or lowering movements being accomplished by slidably mounting the side boards or I rails 3 on vertically extended rods 8 which are suitably attached to the respective corner posts |,,as more particularly illustrated in Figures 1 and2, the rods loosely, passing through openings in the opposite ends of the respective side boards or rails. A coil spring 9 is usually mounted at the bottom of each rod 8 'tocushion theside boards or rails when the same are dropped or lowered.

These details of the crib construction are not material to the present invention, and have been described and illustrated herein merely by Way of exampleof one type ofcrib construction to which the present invention is applicable. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited touse with crib constructions embodying allof the detailed features described and illustrated herein, since it will be obvious that such details may be changed or varied without affecting the spring adjusting means which will now be more particularly described;

As will be observed from the drawings, each corner of the spring unit A is connected to one of the corner posts or legs I by a special adjustable supporting means which includes a notched bracket Ill which is provided with a plurality of vertically spaced notches] l in one edge thereof, and an arm l2 which. is rigidly anchored at one end to the spring unit 4 at'each corner of the spring unit, the opposite end of each arm being selectively engageable with the notches H of an adjacent bracket [0.

The details of the bracket) and arms [2 are more clearly shown in Figuresi and 5 of the drawings, from which it will be seen that each bracket [0 has the form of an,elongated plate, preferably formed of metal or other suitable rigid material, the lowerend of the plate being laterally offset, as at E3, and provided with an opening [4 therethrough for the reception; of a screw or bolt as shown-at l5 inFigures 1 to 3 inelusive, said screw or bolt serving to pivotally attach the bracket to the corner post I, each corner post being preferably rabbeted or notched out, IS in Figure 2, so that the may be spaced from each other at the required distance corresponding to the spacing of the arms I2 at the adjacent end of the spring unit 4. The

.upper end of each bracket [0 is provided with a laterally extended lug or tongue 16 which bears it against the corner post l when the bracket in is pivotally mounted on the corner post by means vided with an aperture 18 which is formed therethrough for the purpose of receiving the hooked end [9 of a coil spring 29, said coil spring thus being anchored by the hook IS to the bracket 10 at one end, and the opposite, end of the spring 2t being suitably anchored .to the, corner post I, as by means of a screw or bolt 21 having an eye 22 for engaging the hook 23 on the corresponding end of the spring 26. As will be best seen from Figures ,1 and 5, the anchor screw 2| is attached to the corner post I at a point somewhat above-the upper end of the bracket 10 so that the spring Eli-is normally inclined at approximately 45, more or less, thereby causing the spring to yieldingly bias or urge the bracket ID in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figures 1 and 5, about the axis of the anchor screw l5, the bracket being free to pivot on the anchor screw towards and away from the base of the rabbeted groove or notch IS in the corner post I. 1 a

Each of the supporting arms 12 is provided with one or more apertures 24, at the inner end thereof to receive rivets or bolts 25 which serve to rigidly attach the arm to the corner of the spring unit .4. At an intermediate point along each arm 12, the arm is laterally offset outwardly, as indicated at 26, so that the outer end of the arm will extend through the space 18 at the outside of the corresponding bracket 10, and the ex-. treme outer end of each. arm is reversely bent upon itself, as indicatedat 21, to form a hook which embraces about the outer edge of the corresponding bracket ID. with which the arm l2 cooperates. In -bending the hooks 2'l,p.the corner bend at the junctionof the hook and the arm proper is made on an angle generally corresponding to the angle of inclination of the outer edge of the bracket in between each notch ll, thereby causing the hook toride flat against the outer edge of the bracket, as :the arm moves upwardly or downwardlyduring adjustment of the elevation of the spring unit 4. Due to, this inclination, the hook ends of the arms 12 will always seat fully'and safely in :the bottom of each notch II, as clearly shown in Figure5.

When all the supporting arms [2 are engaged in the uppermost notches II. of the respective brackets I 0, the spring unit 4 will assume a hori-.- zontal position at its maximum elevation; When it is desired to lower the-sprin unit, the brackets l0 arerocked inwardlyto disengage the same from the arms I2 and permit the arms and the spring unit to be 'd fQ ped': downwardly. to the desired extent until re engaged with a lower notch siticns', it only necessary tclirtthespring unit upward-mend :the ho'oks 21 onthearms- 26 will siide fr'eely on the brackets in; as permittedby the yielding action: ofthe-springs 20;. until the hooks reach the desired notches atn-highcr elcvation, whereupon the hcoks will automatically i e-engage'i ii these notchesr Due to the fact that the-arms i Z- always lie between the brackets tll anrl tl ie corner post 1, ata-point above thescrew anchors I5 and the laterally offset portions-I 3 of the brackets, there is-inever'any danger that the-spring unit 4' will accidentally-fall or. passbe low the bottom ends of the brackets l o during the adjusting o eraticnsabove referred to, lsin ce the' laterall-y offset portions ll3of'1the "brackets tormpo'sitive' stops ori abutments. to preclude nicv'ementof thearins 2c substantially beyond the lowermost notches llin the brackets Inn This safety -feature,- together with 'th'e biasing action oi the springs 20', alwaysinsures positive support of the'springunit 5 in all positions of adjustment, and contributes to the simplicity of the adjust-1' ing operation. i a 1, v

-*Wliileonly three notches have 'been-shownin the brackets illustrated-in the drawings; it will be obvious that the length-and. number:- of notches in each bracket may be: varied crim creased as desired and is within the intended scopeof theinvention; -Li-1 ewise, it'isat b'ennderstood: that the brackets In and" arms ,1ZB may be applied tothe crib-construction eitheri inethe course oi the original-.manufacture of the crib, or: subsequent to such original; manufacture such as c'ribs alreadyJin use; inwhichlatter event the brackets- Hi and-arms IZ'lcanbe sold separately in sets tog'ether witnthe appropriate fastenings or hardware as may. be necessaryto install, the brackets: andarms on existing cribs oft anyJsui-table type. I

--We;claim:: .4 1.- In; a1- crib bed of the class described the coin-y biriation with corner postshaving' transversel-y extended end panels .therebetween at the opposite i it ends of the bed and side boards longitudinally H:

extendedbetween the: corner posts at the opposite: sides of. thebed, and a spring unit horizontally disposed Within the confines of the end panels and side boardsia'foresaidg. of adjustable surnortinem e for tr min un t t support i the spring unit at difierent elevationsl saidlsupporting means comprising a bracket member piv otally mountedon'each corner post in perpendicular relation to said end-panels and charm rigidly connected to each corner of the-spring unit, said brackets and arms having interlocking engagementwith each other in selective positions of vertical adjustment.

- 2; In acrib bed of the class described, the combination with corner. posts having transversely extended end panel's therebetween" at the opposite ends-of the bed and the-side boards longitudis.

nary extendedbctween the corner posts at the opposite sides of the bed, and a spring unit horizontally disposed within the confines of the end panels and side boards aforesaid, of adjustable supporting means for the spring unit to support the spring unit at different elevations, said supporting means comprising a bracket member pivotally mounted on each corner post in perpendicular relation to said end panels and having a plurality of vertically spaced notches formed therein, and an arm rigidly connected to each corner of the spring unit, said arms having selective engagement with the notches of the respective brackets.

the spring unit atfidifferent elevations, said sup-3 portmg-meanscomprisinga bracket member piv-; otal'ly mounted oneach; corner p'o'st having. a

plurality or vertically: spaced a notches formed therein,ancarnrrigidly connected to each corner ofiithe spring unit saidli'arms having selective en gagement with 'thet- 'notchesaiof then-respective brackets; and vmeans for yieldablys biasing! said pivotal rbrackets in adirectiontending to cause. automatic engagement. of the arms in thevbra'cket notches;-.w-.; r -v z Ai -In a crib be'doi the class described,.the-c om'-i bination with corner posts-"having transversely extended"- endpanels-i therebetween at :the' oppoe are. ends off the l-bed and: side: boards longitudi-z lially 'extended between the corners posts at :the opposite sides of" the bed,v and a spring-unitihorie zontallyxdispos'ed within the confines of theend panels-i and. sideboards aforesaid; of adjustable supporting meansuforthe' spring unit to support theuspring unit at different elevations," said sup? porting means comprising a bracket member'piv-i ota'lly mounted oneachcorner post in perpen-J dicular' relation to said! end panels and having plurality of vertically spaced notches formed in one: edge thereof, and ran arm rigidly connected to: each corner ofthe spring unit land havingia reverselybent: hooked extremity embracing the notched edge of its adjacent bracket and selectively: engageable' with. the notches ofthe bracket;

5. In a, crib bed of theclass described, ithe come bination with 1 corner :posts having. transversely extended end .panels ther-eb'etween at the oppcs sitexends? of the bed and side boards long-itudie nally extendedfbetweenrthe. corner posts at the opposite sidesor the bed, and-a spring unit horizontallyidi'spcsed :within the confines-of the. end panelsiand sid'e boards aforesaid,.ofiadjllstable supporting means for the spring unit to support the; spring unit at different! elevations, said; sup-. porting means. comprising a bracketmember piV otally mOuntedLon each corner post and having aplurality. of vertically spaced notches, formed in one1edgethere'of, an arm rigidly. connected to each: corner ofl the-spring unit and having a, -re+ versely-bent .hookedi extremity; embracing the netched edge of yitst adjacent bracket. and selec tively engageable with the'notchesof the bracket; and..- means for T yieldably biasing the. pivotal brackets in a direction tending to cause auto;- matic seating of the. hooked extremities otjthe ann'xsinthebracket notches. :t 6.51 112; crib bed-of the class described,;the:-come bination with corner posts having transversely extended end panels there-between at the opposite ends of the bed and side boards longitudinally extended between the corner posts at the opposite sides of the bed, and a spring unit horizontally disposed'within the confines of the end panels and side boards aforesaid, of adjustable supporting means for the spring unit to support the spring unit at different elevations, said supporting means comprising a bracket member pivotally mounted on each corner post and having a plurality of vertically spaced notches formed in one end thereof, an arm rigidly connected to each corner of the spring unit and having a reversely bent hooked extremity embracing the notched edge of its adjacent bracket and selectively engageable with thenotches of the bracket, and spring means. connecting the free end of each bracket with the corner post on which the bracket is pivotally mounted for yieldably'biasing the pivotal brackets ina direction tending to cause automatic seating of the hooked extremities of the arms of the bracket notches.

7. Ina crib bed of the class described, the combination with corner posts having transversely extended end panels therebetween at the opposite ends of the bed and side boards longitudinally extended between the corner posts at the opposite ends of the bed, and a spring unit horizontally disposed within the confines of the end panels and side boards aforesaid, of adjustable supporting means for the spring unit to support the spring unit at diiferent elevations, said supporting means comprising a bracket member pivotally mounted on each corner post and having a plurality of vertically spaced notches formed in one edge thereof, an arm rigidly connected to each corner of the spring unit and having a reversely bent hooked extremity embracing the notched edge of its adjacent bracket and selectively engageable with the notches of the bracket, and spring means connecting the free end of each bracket with the corner post on which the bracket is pivotally mounted for yieldably biasing the pivotal brackets in a direction tending to cause automatic seating of the hooked extremities of the arms in the bracket notches, and the edge of each bracket between the notches being inclined upwardly and outwardly from the bottom of each notch to the next notch above, and the hooked extremity of each coacting arm being bent on an angle substantially corresponding to the inclination aforesaid.

8. In a crib bed of the class described, the combination with corner posts having transversely extended end panels therebetween at the opposite ends of the bed and side boards longitudinally extended between the corner posts at the opposite sides of the bed, and a spring unit horizontally disposed within the confines of the end panels and side boards aforesaid, of adjustable supporting means for the spring unit to support the spring unit at different elevations, said supporting means comprising a bracket member pivotally mounted on each corner post and having a plurality of vertically spaced notches formed in one edge thereof, an arm rigidly connected to each corner of the spring unit and having a reversely bent hooked extremity embracing the notched edge of its adjacent bracket and selectively engageable with the notches of the bracket, and spring means connecting the free end .of each bracket with the corner post on which the bracket is pivotally mounted for yieldably biasing the pivotal brackets in a direction tending to cause automatic seating of the hooked extremities of the arms in the bracket notches, and each of said corner posts being provided with a longi-, tudin'ally rabbetted channel or groove at the inner side thereof in which the bracket is mounted and. is free to pivot in a vertical plane.

9. Adjustable supporting means for cri-b bed spring units, comprising a bracket member havingvertically spaced notches formed in one edge thereof intermediate its opposite ends, said opposite ends being laterally ofiset, the lower end of said bracket having means for pivotally connecting the bracket member to a corner post of the crib and the upper end of said bracket having means for yieldably connecting the same to said corner post for supporting the upper end of said bracket, and an arm coacting with the bracket member aforesaid and having means at one end for rigidly anchoring the same to a corner of the. spring unit, and having a, hooked extremity at thev opposite end for selective engagement with the notches of the bracket member. 7 p

10. Adjustable supporting means as definedcin claim 9, wherein the notched edge of the bracket member is inclined upwardly and outwardly be tween each adjacent pair of notches, and the hooked extremity of the arm is bent on a corresponding inclination.

' ll...Adjustable supporting means for bed spring units, comprising a supportingrmember adapted tobe' pivotally attached at one end to each cor-. ner post of.a bed, and a coacting member adapted to be rigidly attached to the spring unit, said members having selective interlocking engages ment with eachother in a plurality of positions respectivelydetermining different elevations of the spring unit aforesaid, said supporting member having biasing means at its free end, adapted to be connected to the corner post aforesaid, whereby the pivotally mounted supporting member will be yieldably biased in a direction tending to cause automatic interlocking engagement between the supporting member and the coacting member. 7

' ALBERT MARS.

ANDREW GORRETTA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Jan. 21, 1915 Number Number 

